Food Safety Agency Detects Sheep and Goat Pox Outbreak in Plovdiv District

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) has detected a secondary outbreak of sheep and goat pox at two epidemiologically linked livestock farms in the village of Vasil Levski, Karlovo municipality, Plovdiv district, Southern Bulgaria where a total of 174 sheep are being kept. The owner notified the competent authorities after clinical signs of the disease appeared and provided full cooperation to the veterinary authorities.

A 5-kilometre protection zone has been established around the outbreak, covering the town of Karlovo and the villages of Vasil Levski, Vedrare, Gorni Domlyan, Kurtovo, Marino Pole and Sokolitsa in Karlovo municipality, Plovdiv district.

A 20-kilometre surveillance zone has also been established around the outbreak. It covers the towns of Banya and Kalofer and the villages of Beguntsi, Bogdan, Voynyagovo, Domlyan, Dabene, Iganovo, Karavelovo, Kliment, Moskovets, Mrachenik, Pevtsite and Prolom in Karlovo municipality, Plovdiv district; the town of Sopot and the village of Anevo in Sopot municipality, Plovdiv district; the town of Hisarya and the village of Mihiltsi in Hisarya municipality, Plovdiv district; the villages of Gorna Mahala, Ivan Vazovo, Otec Paisievo and Pesnopoy in Kaloyanovo municipality, Plovdiv district; the villages of Svezhen and Sarnegor in Brezovo municipality, Plovdiv district; and the villages of Aleksandrovo, Manolovo, Osetenovo, Tazha and Tarnichene in Pavel Banya municipality, Stara Zagora district.

Measures have been taken to control and eradicate the disease in accordance with European and national legislation. Owners are entitled to compensation under the Veterinary Medical Activity Act.

Restrictive measures have been introduced in the settlements within the designated protection and surveillance zones, including a ban on the movement of sheep and goats, except for animals intended for immediate slaughter under specified conditions. The animals must be kept indoors, while livestock farms within the two zones will undergo animal counts and an update of records in the VetIS Integrated Information System, as well as official veterinary control. An epizootic investigation is also under way to trace the movement of animals, products, feed and vehicles associated with the outbreak. Special requirements apply to the movement and processing of raw milk from the affected areas in accordance with current legislation.

The disease poses no risk to humans, but its spread may cause significant economic losses.

The Regional Food Safety Directorate in Plovdiv responded immediately to the alert and, together with the local authorities, is coordinating the implementation of all measures provided for to bring the situation under control quickly and prevent the spread of the disease.